I put this in IMHO because there appear to be many, many options out there, so…
We have so many gifted, intelligent tech-savvy people here at the Dope that I’m really hoping for a quick consensus for this particular situation. Here are the details:
Computer is a new desktop; Win7; fast with tons of memory; runs great.
ISP is Comcast; DSL; works fine for all streaming we’ve done at the computer so far (Hulu, Amazon prime tv shows, Daily Show online, etc.)
TV is a 37" HDTV (AOC/Envision - budget priced, but it works and looks great, certainly good enough for limited bedroom watching) located in the master bedroom, approx. 40’ away from the computer.
Important note: we haven’t had (nor want) cable TV in years. We buy movies and TV series we really like on disc or watch streaming shows on the computer. We don’t watch enough television to justify the current cable charges. Works for us, but as the availability of shows online has increased, we’re trying to find the best way to move the content from the computer to the other TV’s in the house.
Searching methods online has proved to be frustrating and convoluted, at best. So I turn to the best of the best at the Straight Dope to recommend our family a practical way to convert streaming online content to our remote TV sets. Cost is not too much of an obstacle, as in wireless routers or such, so long as the cost is not unreasonable.
So talk to me, people - I defer to the infinite wisdom of the SDMB techno-philes!
Option 1
Go to Blue Jeans Cable or [url=http://www.monoprice.com]Monoprice* and get a really long HDMI cable (your PC has HDMI output, right?). Run it through your walls (etc.) from the PC to the television. You can do a nice job with wall plates and mud rings. And as long as you’re pulling cable, run a couple of Cat5e or Cat6 for the future.
If cost is truly no object, consider structured wiring for your house, and include HDMI distribution with a 4x4 or better matrix switch.
This is an overly simple description, but it’s my preferred method. In my true house, I have the hackintosh HTPC running Plex in the basement connected to a structure wiring cabinet, and distribute video to four locations in the house (and also distribute RG6 and lots of Cat6 to nine places in the house).
For cables, I went with Blue Jeans because the price was right, and I figured “better safe than sorry” for long runs in my walls. Except my longest run – added after the fact – I used a 50’ Monoprice HDMI cable and hoped for the best. It works quiorte
Option 2
Get a Mac Mini or a Zotac MAG or similar (something with HDMI output) and run Plex or XBMC on it, and put the box right at the TV. You can run Cat6 (as in Option 1) for a rock-solid connection to your server PC, or use a good WIFI connection (if your house doesn’t have natural blocking shielding!), or even Ethernet-over-powerline gear.
This is the approach that I use in my rental house in China: Mac Mini in the bedroom with Plex and the Plex server (also available for Windows) and a Zotac MAG in the livingroom running Ubuntu and XBMC. In the bedroom I can even watch the Slingbox from Michigan full-screen, although Chinese ADSL sucks and it stutters sometimes.
Besides the obvious advantage of being able to use WIFI without cutting holes into your walls, a client-server model would allow multiple people to watch multiple things if you were ever to add additional television sets.
Balthisar, it’s going to take me until tomorrow to decipher all that, but thank you for responding.
I’m hoping to go wireless if possible, but running wire isn’t too difficult in our house, as we have a drop ceiling in the lower level (easy access, no punching holes in ceiling sheetrock, etc.) Going down through the floor and popping up elsewhere is relatively easy.
If we do decide to rewire the whole house, I’d have to go with a professional, 'cuz I don’t want to screw it up. Not there yet, though…
My spouse, an accountant, went the wireless route with parts from WalMart. She is out of town. If you still need information bump this thread in about a week and I will try to get more information but I think she used information she squired via Google.